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Fall Music Festival Guide

Summer might be “over” but festival season is still in full swing. This week, in lieu of our featured artist section, we’re featuring our picks for must-see festivals across the country this fall!

Bumbershoot – Seattle, WA – September 2nd-4th
What better way to celebrate Labor Day weekend than at the acclaimed Bumbershoot? This three-day festival features headliners such as Halsey, KYGO, Death Cab for Cutie, and the ubiquitous Tame Impala. Its urban setting, unique combination of venues, varied lineup including comedy and theatre takes it to a different place than most festivals. With additional activities like a silent disco, yoga, pottery, and even a designated kids zone called Youngershoot, this festival is sure to be enjoyed by the whole family. And you can stroll right out into upper Queen Anne or the Space Needle or the [Dale] Chihuly Glass and Gardens afterwards.

Hopscotch – Raleigh, NC -September 8th-10th
With 120 bands over 3 days, Hopscotch takes over the city of Raleigh by hosting artists in both the large outdoor main stage and intimate clubs. This festival features music in almost every genre imaginable—rock, hip-hop, metal, folk, electronic, experimental, and more. With standouts from this year’s lineup including Beach House, Young Thug, Sylvan Esso, Television, and Wye Oak, Hopscotch continues to bring in audiences just as eclectic as the artists themselves.

KAABOO– Del Mar, CA – September 16th-18th
Nicknamed as the ultimate “mixperience,” this three-day festival boasts a range of activities distinguishing it from other music festivals of its kind. Music-lovers can enjoy a variety of acts, including well-known indie jams from Cold War Kids and Grouplove, EDM from The Chainsmokers and Steve Aoki, rock from Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith, and hip-hop from Flo Rida and Ludacris. The festival also includes art installations, beach cabanas, and a comedy zone with an all-star line-up that includes Dana Carvey, Sarah Silverman, and Cheech & Chong as headliners.

Riverside Arts & Music Festival – Riverside, CA – September 17th
This year, the Riverside Arts Council has partnered with the Riverside Downtown Partnership to transform the former Mayor’s Ball and Summer Street Jam into the Riverside Arts and Music Festival. This free festival begins with local favorites, followed by headliner Allison Iraheta + Halo Circus. The event will also feature demonstrations by local artists and organizations, including a chalk art exhibition!

Animal Collective Camping Weekend – Big Sur, CA – September 23rd-24th
Presented by (((folkYEAH!))), this intimate camping weekend includes nightly performances by experimental pop band Animal Collective as well as other guests such as Winter, The Range of Light Wilderness, M. Geddes Gengras and Jessica Pratt.

Austin City Limits – Austin, TX – September 30th-October 2nd; October 7th-9th
It’s easy to see why Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World after exploring the diverse lineup of acts each year at Austin City Limits which boasts 8 stages, more than 130 bands – and now, two weekends! The lineup includes indie favorites Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, M83, Two Door Cinema Club, Mumford & Sons, and Local Natives.

Dirtybird Campout – Silverado, CA – October 7th-9th
Created by record producer Claude VonStroke and named for his record company Dirtybird Records, VonStroke wanted to combine the community aspects of his nostalgic sleepaway camp with today’s music festivals. “Head counselors” Reggie Watts and Green Velvet will headline sets, in addition to leading campers in activities such as kickball, tug of war, and boat races in the scenic wilderness of Oak Park Canyon.

Desert Daze – Joshua Tree, CA – October 14th-16th
Located in the breathtaking Joshua Tree desert, Desert Daze campers will be housed at the Institute of Mentalphysics designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his son Lloyd Wright. The relaxed and peaceful nature of the festival is prevalent with their sound baths, massages, yoga, and meditation. The lineup includes Primus, Television, Washed Out, Deerhunter, Thee Oh Sees, Connan Mockasin, in addition to Knitting Factory Management artists Radio Moscow and The Knitts! New since the last post on this is Foxygen, and a tribute to Alan Vega, half of Suicide, who passed away suddenly in July. The festival also includes groundbreaking multimedia dance troupe WIFE and desert artist Cris Cichocki, showcasing his latest work, Circular Dimensions. The first of several film screenings will be Desert Age followed by a Q+A with the filmmakers Trevar Cushing and Jason Pine along with Brant Bjork of Kyuss and Mario Lalli of Fatso Jetson.

Beach Goth – Orange County, CA – October 22nd-23rd
Orange County rockers The Growlers present their fifth installment of Beach Goth. This year, the festival expands far beyond the punk, garage and psych-rock of its early days. This may be their least “Beach Goth” lineup yet, but still celebrates the “weird” and spectacular with acts including Future Islands, Gucci Mane, Bon Iver, James Blake, Nicolas Jaar, Melanie Martinez, and RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Voodoo Experience – New Orleans, LA – October 30th-November 1st
Experience the Voodoo this Halloween at New Orleans’ historic City Park, amid lush lagoons, bayous and one of the largest collections of mature oak trees in the world, in the city about which Bob Dylan once famously stated “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.” With performances by artists including Arcade Fire, The Weeknd and Die Antwoord, this is sure to be a weekend of all sorts of magic.